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More than 50 galleries in Düsseldorf and Cologne signed a letter condemning the local AfD faction’s alleged invocation of Joseph Beuys and Heinrich Heine to promote a cultural-policy event. The event is scheduled to include a city arts tour and a lecture by AfD Bundestag member Matthias Helferich; the report could not independently verify the alleged references on party websites.
More than 50 galleries in Düsseldorf and Cologne have signed a letter condemning the local Alternative for Germany (AfD) faction for allegedly invoking artist Joseph Beuys and poet Heinrich Heine in promotion for an upcoming cultural-policy event. The event, titled “Cultural Policy From the Right,” is scheduled to include a tour of Düsseldorf arts venues and a lecture by AfD lawmaker Matthias Helferich.
The galleries’ letter objects to the AfD’s reported use of two prominent figures associated with German cultural life. The signatories frame Düsseldorf’s identity as one shaped by openness, internationalism and plurality, and argue that art depends on questioning boundaries and allowing dialogue among people of different backgrounds and views.
The scheduled event is described as a walking tour of the city’s arts and cultural venues, followed by a topical lecture from Matthias Helferich, an AfD member of the Bundestag. The source report says it contacted several signatories but could not independently confirm any mention of Beuys on the AfD or AfD Düsseldorf websites. The allegation about the promotion is therefore attributed to the letter and its signatories, rather than established through the websites reviewed by the outlet.
Helferich was elected to parliament in 2021. In 2025, he was temporarily expelled from the AfD’s North Rhine-Westphalia branch after leaked chats showed him describing himself as “the friendly face of the Nazis” and saying he wanted to play the role of “democratic Freisler.” He said those descriptions were parodies of left-wing online critics. The party expulsion was overturned in June 2026, according to the report.
The dispute concerns more than an event listing: it is about who can claim Germany’s cultural figures and what their names imply when used in political messaging. Beuys, a postwar artist and political activist, is being invoked, according to the galleries, in promotion for an event organized by a party they describe as anti-immigrant. The signatories’ objection makes the alleged reference itself a public issue.
For cultural institutions and audiences, the episode puts pressure on the relationship between art, political identity and public space. The planned walking tour would place the event in the city’s arts venues, while the letter argues that Düsseldorf’s cultural character depends on openness and exchange. The report does not establish how the alleged references were worded or whether the artists or their estates have responded, so the dispute should not be treated as a settled account of the AfD’s intentions.
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Helferich’s Party Disciplinary Case
The controversy comes amid scrutiny of Helferich’s record within the AfD. Leaked messages prompted his temporary expulsion from the party’s North Rhine-Westphalia branch in 2025. He disputed the interpretation of his language, saying the statements were jokes aimed at his left-wing critics. That expulsion was later overturned in June 2026.
The report also describes an earlier accusation that Helferich dehumanized immigrants in an Instagram story. It said the post showed a rearview-mirror decoration alongside wording translated roughly as “get those creatures out,” and included the hashtag #remigration. The source describes remigration as a term for mass deportation of migrants and identifies it as a policy listed on the AfD’s website. These details provide context for the galleries’ objection, but do not independently prove what the event’s promotional material said about Beuys or Heine.
““Düsseldorf is a city whose cultural identity is characterized by openness, internationality, plurality, and the free exchange of diverse perspectives.””
— The galleries’ jointly signed letter
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The Promotional References Remain Unverified
The source report says it could not independently confirm any mention of Beuys on the AfD or AfD Düsseldorf websites. It does not provide the full promotional text or establish whether the alleged references appeared in other material, such as a flyer or social-media post. The exact wording, context and intent behind the references therefore remain unclear.
The report identifies the event date as Monday, October 26, but does not specify a year. It also does not report a response from the AfD Düsseldorf faction, Helferich, Beuys’s representatives or Heine-related institutions. The galleries’ letter documents their objection; it does not by itself confirm the party’s alleged wording.
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Event and Party Response Awaited
The next reported milestone is the scheduled October 26 event, which is set to include a walking tour and Helferich’s lecture. The source material does not say whether the event will proceed as planned or whether its organizers will respond to the letter.
Further reporting could clarify where the alleged Beuys and Heine references appeared, provide the complete promotional material, and establish whether the AfD faction or the event’s speaker addresses the galleries’ criticism. Until then, the central allegation remains attributed to the signatories rather than independently verified by the source report.
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Key Questions
What are the galleries objecting to?
More than 50 galleries in Düsseldorf and Cologne signed a letter condemning the AfD Düsseldorf faction for allegedly invoking Joseph Beuys and Heinrich Heine in promotion for a cultural-policy event.
What is the AfD event?
“Cultural Policy From the Right” is scheduled to feature a walking tour of Düsseldorf arts and cultural venues, followed by a lecture from AfD Bundestag member Matthias Helferich.
Has the alleged use of Beuys’ name been independently confirmed?
No. The source report says it could not independently confirm a mention of Beuys on the AfD or AfD Düsseldorf websites. The precise wording and where it appeared remain unclear.
Why is Matthias Helferich part of the controversy?
Helferich is the event’s scheduled speaker. The report also notes that he was temporarily expelled from the AfD’s North Rhine-Westphalia branch in 2025 after leaked chats, said he was parodying left-wing critics, and had the expulsion overturned in June 2026.
Source: rss
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